The decorations for the Day of the Dead are part of the Mexican tradition as much as the festivities and popular songs with which homage is paid to the deceased and they are wished for a long life in the afterlife. How can we choose the decoration of our home for November following the example of this ancient culture? What elements cannot be missing? What is the origin of this special day? We give you some tips to decorate your house on the Day of the Dead through very nice ideas. Take note!
When is the Day of the Dead celebrated and what is its meaning?
- The Day, a popular Mexican celebration that is increasingly spreading to other regions, aims to honor the deceased. Specifically, on November 1, deceased children are remembered and on November 2, deceased adults are honored. It should be noted that it is also common to remember on October 28 those who lost their lives due to an accident and on the 30th of that same month the children who left this world without even having had time to receive baptism.
- To find its origin we have to go back to Mesoamerican cultures, but it would not be until the arrival of the colonizers. And the evangelization processes when the celebrations begin more or less as we know them today. Since November 7, 2003, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) recognizes the Day of the Dead as ‘Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’.
- The rituals have been changing as the years passed; but what remains the same is the meaning of remembering and celebrating the meaning of life. For this reason, during these days, there is no shortage of decorations, offerings and festivities.
Decorations to decorate your house for the Day of the Dead
Decorate the entrance of the house with skulls
If you want to take an example from Mexican houses, decorate the entrance of yours with skulls like the you can buy or make yourself with items to recycle that you have at home or with, for example, felt or cardboard. The idea is that from the doorstep you can breathe the typical atmosphere that you saw on the streets of Mexican cities the days before this remarkable festivity.
Colored shredded paper is the quintessential ornament
Colorful and striking in equal parts, it is usually placed on altars or on the walls of homes. You won’t have a hard time finding it in your usual stores, but if you want to do it yourself, you just have to get some crepe paper in the color that you like the most, prepare a template and fold it until it has the right shape. Then make the appropriate cuts according to the folds and add the details you want.
Lit candles as decoration on the Day of the Dead
Whether it is a small candle-shaped lamp or a traditional candle, the appropriate thing to continue with this tradition is to light a few around the altar or in the center of the main table in the house. As they say, entire families have always gathered by candlelight to sing songs and commemorate their faithful departed. And it is that the true meaning of the flame is none other than the hope that the loved ones who have already left the earthly will return to honor us with their presence during the night of November 1.
Can also be a great decorative element
As for sweets, whether it is pan de metro, dulcets de lecher or amaranths, they can also be an excellent decorative element, as well as an ideal way to spend the eve of this festivity: families spend long hours in the kitchen preparing all kinds of food to taste together.
More decorating ideas for the Day of the Dead
We continue with our decoration special for November 1 and 2. Remember that the important thing is not to fill the house with as many things as possible, but to echo the profound and mystical meaning that these days have. Did you know that death is celebrated in Mexico? It is a reason for joy and family reunions, which is why homes and streets are filled with color and a lot of atmosphere. And it is that, there is a belief that the dead pass on to a better life and that at some point they will return to honor us with their presence.
Create your own altar for the Day of the Dead
- Although if what you want is to follow one of the most deeply rooted traditions in Mexican culture, what you can do is create your own altar in your home and decorate it with flowers and other elements of nature, in addition to offering food and drinks, valuables and clothing. In this way you will have the indicated space to pay homage to your deceased.
- There are several types of altars. The most elaborate and the simplest. There are those that are improvised on the floor and those that are located on a shelf or a table. The most common are still two-level altars, one of which represents heaven and the other represents earth. It is also common to put on them objects that belonged to the dead, their portrait, their favorite foods, as well as spreading salt so that their souls have a good trip and can visit us again next year.
Homes are filled with flowers for the Day of the Dead
Fresh flowers such as cempasúchil, carnations and chrysanthemums fill the houses of the families faithful to this festivity. They are placed on the altars, on the table, in vases that are later placed on furniture and their petals are also scattered on corridors and floors. With all these gestures it is intended to guide the souls of the dead on the right path.
The aromas of incense and copal must be present
They not only awaken our senses, but also have their role in reminding loved ones who have already left us. What is usually done on the Day of the Dead is to diffuse the favorite aromas of the deceased throughout the house, including the entrance. There is also no shortage of copal and incense smells, in addition to the flowers that we have mentioned before and other fruits that also give off their aroma easily, such as guavas and canes.
Some easy-to-make Day of the Dead craft ideas
- Most of the decorations that we have just seen for the Day of the Dead can be easily created. However, there are other crafts that we can do at home and in which children can also participate. For example, we can make our own skulls with colored cardboard and you will place a rod at the base to use them as masks.
- It is also a great idea to get a plaster skull and paint it with acrylic or similar to our liking. The keys with tissue paper, the cardboard tombs and the containers for sweets are many other examples of crafts that we can do these days and that we can also put as a decorative element.
